luigration ever occurred, or that tbere has been in recent times a progressive spread of
tbe birds across successive meridians, is less than doubtful—is almost disproven. Birds
that fly like Swalloivs, and go from South America to the Arctic Ocean, are not likely
to cut around vid Jlississippi or the Rocky Alountains, liouses or no houses. Moreover,
the scarcity or apparent absence of these birds in the Southern States, or most portions
thereof, may be simply due to the iuidigibility of the country, aud only true for a part
of the year. It cannot be that the breeding-birds of Pennsylvania, New York, and New
linglaud come and go by other than a direct route, and if not detected in the Southern
States, it must be because they fly over the country in tlieir migrations and do not stop
to breed. It is authenticated that they nest at least as far south as ‘Washington, B.C.,
where Dr. Coues and Dr. Prentiss found them some twenty years ago to be summer
residents, arriving late iu April and remaining until the middle of September, though
they were not so abundant as some of the other Swallows.”
The American Cliff-Swallow is a very widely distributed species in North America,
and its winter range extends to Soutliern Brazil, Paraguay, and the Argentine Republic.
AVe have received from Mr. Ernest Thompson the following details of its range in
Canada:—
“ Dislribniion in Ontario.
“ London and vicinity. Ten years ago abundant, breeding on fully half the farms.
Now I do not see very many except in fall, wlien they are abundant in
localities. Think possibly they are drawing into larger communities, tliough
I have no evidence of real value to support this idea ( W. B. iSaunderis).
“ Hyde Park. Summer resident {John A . Morden).
"Listoicel, Co. o f Perth. Very numerous in some country places, llave seen 50
nests on one out-building [H'm. L . Kells).
“ Hamilton. Early in May tlie Cliif-Svvallow crosses the southern borders of
Ontario . . . . iu colonies . . . . all over the country. Two broods are raised
iu the season, and by the end of August they begin to move off {T. Mcllicrailh,
‘Birds of Ontario,’ p. 256).
“ Toronto. A common summer resident about here, breeding under eaves of bams
and houses. Dr. Brodic calls my attention to the fact that it is much less
common now than formerly. I have it noted as follows : Arrived May 11th in
1885.
“ Springfield, and Credit Valley, southward to Lake Ontario. Noted this species
there in 1888 as rare. First seen June 2nd.
" Ellora. Summer visitant. Common (i/o«. Chas. Clarke).
"Bruce Co., Central region, about Mildmay. Summer resident. Common {W.
A. Schoenau).
"Lindsay. Ten years ago very abundant about the barns. I have counted as
many as seventy nests under tlie eaves about a single barnyard. It may be so
yet, as I have not since visited the locality.
"JliUbrooh. Summer resident, abundant. Noted first l l t l i April (1885) {Geo.
Sootheran).
“ Peterborough. Common (Rev. Vincent Clementi).
“ Yarker, Addington Co. Summer resident, abundant. April 27th to May 11th
{John J. Ewart).
“ Kingston. Aliundant {Dr. G. K . Clarke).
" Distribution in the Province o f Quebec.
“ Montreal. Summer resident, abundant (IF. W. Dunlop).
" Point de Monts. A small colony nested in the deserted Hudson’s Bay Trading
Post at Godbout this year (1882) {Dr. G. Hart ^Terriani).
“ County o f Quebec and north to Lake St. John. Summer resident, abundant
{John Neilson).
"Distribution in lAihrador.
“ Verrill reports it breeding in large numbers, July 15th, 1861, on Anticosti {L. 21.
Turner, Proe. U.S. Nat. 3Ius., 1885, p. 239).
"Distrihution in Manitoba and the North-icesl.
“ Carberry. About Carberry and on tlie Big Plain I noted it only as a migrant;
apparently there were no suitable building sites. Aug. 20th, 1882 : Swarm of
Cliff-Swallows migrating to-day, flying east.
“ Turtle 3Iountain, in Southern 3ianitoba. Here in 1882, ou 20th May, I saw
several ajiparently just arrived from tbe south.
“ Brandon. At this place on 25th May, 1882, I saw a number of the birds and 54
nests under one high eave, 50 feet long, facing the south.
“ Portage la Prairie. Common summer resident {C. W. Nash).
" JFinnipeg. Abundant summer resident (TF. L. Hine). Common {R. U.
Hunter).
"Shoal la k e , in Western Manitoba. I bave noted, June 4th, 1884, ClifT-Swallows
nesting; one had in gizzard water-beetles and flies.
"Assessippi, or Shell Mirer, Western Manitoba. Clifi-Swallows nesting in
abundance.
“ Fort Ellice. Abundant, breeding.
" Qu’Appelle. Summer visitant; arrives about 10th May; breeds {Geo. F.
Guernsey).
" North-ioest. Abundant {Frof. John 3Tacoun).
“ This is the most abundant of the Swallows that are found in tho North-west,
although its distribution there is somewhat erratic, and evidently governed by the
presence of suitable places for nesting. Apparently, a high eave or overhanging wall,
in a sheltered valley, near water, and with a southerly aspect, are the favourite surroundings
of this bird, and when all tliese circumstances are combined, the place is
usually encrusted with the long bottle-shaped nests, and the welkin resounds with the
2 x 2